Similarities over the Water
by Nobody writes this crap dbox
Summary: Three girls from America come to Domino City, Japan to plague the unfortunate YuGiOh characters. Kanthra, one of the three, loses a duel to the spirit of the Millennium Ring and the story goes on from there. Okay. This is a horrible summary.
1. Duel 1: Newcomers

            Hello, dear readers. Mwahahahaha.... I am the unknown authoress. Heh, heh, heh. Yeah. I wrote the poem Welcome to the Shadow Realm. I'm kinda the serious side of the operation. . Though, you may never know how insane I can be. This is a Yu-gi-oh fanfic, and the best thing to start with would probably be the disclaimer...

Ahem, I hereby declare that I own none of the Yu-gi-oh characters appearing in this fanfic. Other characters were created by my osome author powers and shall remain mine until further notice. Thank you.

KEY: thoughts

{yami to hikari conversation}

"speaking" actions when I need to put them in the middle of a sentence example: "Hey! bang ow..."

Now, le story.

          Ryou sat quietly by himself as always. His strangely white hair was neatly brushed and his shirt was tucked in very nicely. This, among other things, annoyed the living hell out of his yami, the spirit of the Millennium Ring, Bakura. The golden dream catcher around Ryou's neck glowed, and he was rudely pushed back into his soul room.

          "Stupid vassal," Bakura muttered, pulling out his shirttail.

          {Hey!} Ryou shouted in the back of his mind. {I was eating! You have no right to take over, spirit!}

          {Who asked for your opinion? Now shut up before I punish you.} Bakura got up and left the cafeteria.

          "Where's Ryou going?" Honda asked, seeing his possessed friend walk out to door. "He was in the bathroom five minutes ago."

          "Don't worry about it, Honda," Anzu replied. "He always comes back."

          Bakura strolled around the high school campus, inevitably looking for something to steal. {You're a kleptomaniac,} Ryou piped up.

          "Didn't I give you specific instructions to be silent, little worm?" Bakura muttered under his breath.

          {I'm tired of you using my body to steal things,} Ryou continued.

          Here he goes again on his crime speech. It always gives me a splitting headache! {Damnit to hell, Ryou! Shut up!!} Ryou went reeling backwards in his soul room and slumped, unconscious, in a heap against the wall. "Ah, yes, quite an improvement."

          Bakura walked around a bit more. The bell rang for the next class, history. Bakura sighed and finally resigned control of Ryou's body. History's a bore. I am history. Do those pathetic mortals honestly think I don't remember my life before this? Bakura thought. He sat in a huge chair in his soul room. Absentmindedly, he fiddled with the fraying cloth.

          Ryou walked into history class, on time as usual. He sat down in his normal seat by the window. "Open your text books to page 57," the history teacher, a greasy man with hardly any hair said in his whiney voice. Ryou obeyed robotically. "Before we start on the next section, there are a few people I would like to introduce you to." Everyone's ears perked up, or would have if they had dog-ears. "These young ladies will be going our class this quarter while their parents work in the city." Three high-school-aged girls stepped to the front of the class.

          Who are those useless mortals? Bakura thought to himself, not wanting to admit he was ever so slightly interested in knowing.

          "Please tell us your names, ladies, and something else about yourselves," the greasy teacher said.

          "I'm Sai Zara, and I am a martial artist," The girl had lilac hair in two hoops of hair, held in place by a plaid bow with a skull clip.

          The second girl introduced herself. "I'm Anay Neon, and I enjoy playing the harp," she said sweetly. Her emerald eyes sparkled. Her wild blue hair flipped up at her ears and was basically best described as a mess.

          Ryou looked, as the rest of the class did, to the last girl who stood silent for a moment. She glanced at Ryou before she began. "I'm Kanthra Yau. One of my main hobbies is kendo. I also enjoy Duel Monsters." Ryou glanced over at Yugi to see him shift uneasily. In fact a subtle tension had filled the room when Kanthra had begun to speak. Her deep mahogany hair that fell to her waist was pulled back in a neat ponytail. However, her bangs were sticking out everywhere with very little semblance to order, but they effectively covered her eyes when she tilted her head downwards.

          {Heh, heh, heh,} Bakura laughed as the girls took their seats. {I'm challenging her to a duel after school today. Her soul is as good as mine.}

          {No,} Ryou protested, building up his courage. {You won't use me to steal her soul. You can duel her, but don't hurt her.}

          {Why do you even care about her? Are you love struck, vassal?} Bakura taunted.

          {Grrr....}

          That's right, just hold your peace. Stupid mortal, Bakura thought conceitedly to himself within the walls of his soul room.

          Well, that's chappie uno. Hope you liked it. Now for the stereotypical request...Ahem... Please R&R. - Only one question remains... Should I tack on death threats to my closing remarks? Newayz. I'm sure you've already figured out who the "mary sue" is going to be, right? Wrong! Just wait and see what color rabbit I pull from my wonderful top hat next...


	2. Duel 2: Shadow Game BAKURA VS KANTHRA

          I'm back. Heh, heh, heh. Did ya' miss me? Maybe so? Well, on wit de story.

          The bell rang, signaling the blessed release from school. Time for my little duel, Bakura thought to himself, forcing Ryou back into his soul room.

          Kanthra, Sai, and Anay walked out on to the plaza. "Well, that was the usual bore," Kanthra remarked.

          "What exactly did you expect?" Sai questioned.

          "Oh, I don't know. I thought maybe someone would challenge me to a duel sooner than later."

          "Kanthra, you're just asking for trouble thinking like that," Anay cautioned. "You know Yugi Moto goes here, don't you?"

          "Yes, but I don't expect him to challenge me. I'm not ready to lose yet."

          "Reality check, Kanthra," Sai butted in. "You've lost to me, what, three times?"

          "Shut up. It's your fault you didn't say you liked Duel Monsters," Kanthra countered. "Besides, I don't think anyone is as good as you except Yugi."

          "Think again," a voice said. Bakura stepped out from behind a tree. "I assure you I am superior to all of you and could beat you even if you dueled as a team. But I'll be kind and pick you mortals off one by one."

          "You'd have a better chance dueling against all three of us," Sai commented. "Though, it is your funeral."

          "Very well. I'll duel you later, Sai. Today, I do believe, I'll duel your friend Kanthra." He smirked. "After hearing your conversation, it seems you'll be quite enthusiastic about our little game."

          "Yeah, yeah. I object to your eavesdropping and all, but what the hell I don't have anything better to do," Kanthra said nonchalantly.

          "Believe me, you have no other recourse but to accept my challenge and your inevitable defeat."

          "Hmph. Why worry about defeat? Good things come to those who wait." Kanthra grinned.

          Bakura handed her an extra Duel Disk. "You'll be needing this. Now, to the Shadow Realm!"

BAKURA VS. KANTHRA

"Interesting." Bakura mused. "You can actually retain mentality here."

"And you have no trouble because you have no mind, no?" she countered the fiend.

"Shut up woman and just duel." Bakura angrily drew the five cards from his deck.

"As I recall, I wasn't the one talking." She drew her cards; the game was now under way. Perfect, I seem to be having luck. She smirked down at the Tiger Carcass in her hand. Sai's luck is rubbing off on me.

"I'll start out by playing Yaranzo in defense mode, and this card face down. Now lets see your brilliant failure, woman."

"I don't think I'll fail. Plus I'm not the one with bunny ears as a hair do. So for now, I'll just play my tiger carcass in defense mode and end my turn. Your move, snow hare."

"You insolent girl! You dare insult me when all you have is that on the field? And besides that, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT CARD?!?"

          "Oh, don't you know, snow hare?" Kanthra taunted. Bakura's eye was twitching with rage. "It's an American card. You should know. Well, maybe not. On with the duel, snow hare."

          "Very well, mortal. I'll continue." Bakura drew a card. Well, this is useless, for now. "I summon Dragon Zombie in attack mode. Then I switch Yaranzo into attack mode. Yaranzo, attack that mortal's Tiger Carcass!" Yaranzo charged forward and destroyed the Tiger Carcass. "Now, just to be kind for a moment," Bakura continued, "I'll end my turn."

          "Thanks, snow hare. Heh, heh, heh. For destroying my Tiger Carcass and ending your turn so graciously without attacking my life points. Yet, you made a fatal mistake. You see, tiger carcasses were once used for something rather special. I don't think you'll know right off the top of your rabbit head, so I'll tell you," Kanthra smirked. "Tiger carcasses were used as bait for...dragons. By destroying my Tiger Carcass, you destroyed a dragon's food, and it's hungry."

          "Get to the point, bitch," Bakura spat.

          "The point is, by destroying my Tiger Carcass, you have permitted me to summon the Eternal Dragon! Now! Eternal Dragon, attack his Dragon Zombie!" Kanthra ordered. She smiled in satisfaction as her monster launched its attack to demolish Bakura's Dragon Zombie. Bakura braced himself as the attack took away 1400 of his life points. "Your move."

          Bakura smirked. "You have no idea how your monster is about to be used against you."

          "Shit. I bet I do," Kanthra admitted nervously. "You drew a damn Change of Heart, didn't you?"

          "You're clever, for a mortal girl. Yes, I did draw the Change of Heart last turn. This turn, however, I drew another card you'll love to hate when you're sitting trapped in the Shadow Realm for eternity."

          Kanthra sighed, knowing she had been defeated. I'm such a damn fool to rush things.

          Meanwhile, Sai and Anay stood outside the dark, ominous bubble. "Do you have the feeling Kanthra is about to lose?" Anay asked.

          "I've known she was gonna lose from the very beginning," Sai boasted.

          "Do you think I could touch this bubble without being vaporized?" Anay asked randomly.

          "I don't know. Why don't you try?" Sai pushed Anay into the bubble only to see her fly out on the other side.

          "So you're accepting your defeat?" Bakura taunted.

          "Is there any way of denying a fate so clearly placed before you? Please stop stalling and finish me off, my patience is wearing thin, and I don't enjoy postponing the inevitable."

          "But you were this entire duel, mortal," Bakura sneered.

          "Yeah, you're right. Now that you've won just finish me, or do you expect me to forfeit?"

          "I was actually thinking you would beg for mercy."

          "Would you beg me for mercy?"

          "Ignorant mortal! What do you take me for?"

          "Someone who wouldn't beg for mercy, just like me," Kanthra responded, letting the reality of it all sink in. Bakura had won, she was as good as banished.....forever. "Now, end this duel! You have the power! Why don't you use it?!"

          "Your anguish is too enjoyable to waste."

          "If you want me to be calm, fine. I can do that. Laugh at me all you want. It's not as if I don't know I've lost. I know what I get for losing, and I know why I lost. I came into this duel over confident. You did an excellent job of making me that way. I've lost, as always; me and my damn mistakes. If you want me to beg, I'm right where you would want me. Do you want me to beg?" Kanthra was depressed. Whatever, she thought. He's just gonna laugh and jeer. Maybe submission will take some of the venom from this damn adder.

          "Heh, heh, heh. Very well, beg, girl," Bakura ordered coldly.

          Here we go, Kanthra thought. She fell to her knees obediently. "Please," she began with her head bowed and eyes hidden. "Please just finish me off. I have no desire to wait for eternal punishment any longer. I'm.....begging.......you, sir, to please destroy me." I hope he's happy with himself. She gritted her teeth and waited.

          "Heh. I play the card Change of Heart to take control of the Eternal Dragon! Then, I equip the Eternal Dragon with the Axe of Despair, which raises its attack power by 1000. This, of course, brings the monster's attack power to 4000, just enough to finish you off with one attack. Now, Eternal Dragon, attack Kanthra directly."

          Ice, Kanthra thought. That's what his tone is like. Ice. She braced herself for the attack. Since she was still kneeling, she hoped it would hurt a little less.

          {All those life points in one turn! Bakura, she'll die!} Ryou cried in the back of Bakura's mind. {Stop the attack! no reply Stop the attack!}

          {The bitch asked for it, now shut up, vassal!} Bakura ordered.

          Kanthra felt the attack tearing through her like a thousand knives. She turned her face upwards. Her pupils constricted in pain. She could not cry out; the pain was too much. Then, it was over. Her life points fell to zero. The duel was over, and the bubble of the Shadow Realm began to fade. All Kanthra heard was her heartbeat. Then Sai murmured her name, hardly believing the sight before her eyes.

          She doesn't care, thought Kanthra, feeling infinitely betrayed. She collapsed and expected to feel the hard cement. In stead, she felt someone catch her. It was Ryou, though she couldn't really tell. Somehow, he had managed to imprison Bakura for a moment or two.

          "Kanthra," he shouted. It was a faint echo in the girl's ears. "Kanthra, stay with us! Don't black out! Don't give in or he'll win!"

          "He's.....already.....won," Kanthra spoke. Then she fell unconscious.

          Okay. That's chapter 2. Now for some explanations.

Ahem. Tiger Carcass and Eternal Dragon are cards made up by the brilliant Dbox. Dbox also assisted ??? in writing the first part of the duel.


	3. Duel 3: Deal with the Devil

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you to my one reviewer, ChildlikeEmpress. She is the only reason I'm posting this chapter because the other reviewer is just a friend who I forced to review….

Kanthra woke up to find herself in a hospital bed. "Good. You're awake," said Ryou who was sitting in a chair next to her bed. Kanthra muttered something about perverts watching her sleep and turned over with her back to Ryou.

"Eep!" she squealed as a glass of cold water was poured on her head. She turned back over to see that Bakura had taken over Ryou's body again.

"Well, good morning, mortal," Bakura said in a high and mighty way.

"What do you want?" Kanthra growled.

"Your soul," Bakura answered coldly. Suddenly the two of them were transported to the Shadow Realm.

"What's going on?" Kanthra asked.

"You lost a Shadow Game. That means I can take your soul. Though I could have taken it anyway," Bakura replied snidely.

"I never agreed to that."

"You never had a choice."

"Well, I'm not giving up my soul," Kanthra stated firmly.

Bakura just laughed. Kanthra crossed her arms and stared at him indignantly. "Your soul is already mine for the taking," Bakura stated. The Millennium Ring around his neck began to glow. Kanthra screamed as Bakura forced her soul from her body. Everything went black.

Kanthra woke up screaming. She sat up quickly and looked around. Bakura was sitting next to her bed. "GAH!" She jumped away from him slightly.

The thief smirked and held out a deck of Duel Monsters cards. "You forgot your deck," he said calmly.

Kanthra took the deck from him. "Thanks," she mumbled, shuffling through her deck just for the heck of it.

"We never finished our game," Bakura commented. Kanthra froze. Then she looked up, her eyes wide with fear. "What are you afraid of?" Bakura asked in an unnerving whisper. He gazed deep into her eyes as though he was staring into her soul. "You fear the Shadow Realm and the consequences of your loss." Kanthra looked away abruptly. Bakura smirked slightly and lifted her face so Kanthra was staring right at him again. "Serve me and I will spare you the punishment you fear."

Kanthra stared mutely at him a moment. She threw her arms around his neck and cried quietly into his shoulder. "I will do anything as long as it keeps me from that place," she whispered. She pulled away from him and dried her eyes. Bakura pulled the Millennium Ring from under his shirt. He held his hands around it and began to hum a low note. The Ring began to glow Kanthra was fearful for a second, and then an unearthly warmth flooded over her. Light engulfed both of them.

Kanthra opened her eyes to find herself in a dark room. She was sitting on the floor and Bakura sat in front of her. She looked around confused. When her eyes again rested on Bakura, he placed two fingers on her forehead. The Millennium Ring began to glow again and the Millennium Eye (the symbol, not the item) appeared on Kanthra's forehead. Bakura pulled his hand back. Kanthra lowered her head with the Millennium Eye still glowing on her forehead. Bakura lifted her face up so that their eyes met. "I have only given this option to one other person and that was long ago. Serve me faithfully and you will never need to fear me or the Shadow Realm." The room faded away, as did Bakura.

Kanthra opened her eyes slowly to see her friends standing around her. Was all that just happened a dream? Kanthra wondered in her mind.

What do you think, vassal? Bakura's voice said in the back of her mind.

Whoa! How did you do that? You're not even in the room! Kanthra thought back.

Well, my dear. Thanks to our little deal, I have two hikaris, both you and Ryou.

That means you can take over my body… doesn't it….

Yes… But I'm not going to unless I have to, Bakura stated honestly.

Kanthra sighed in relief. "You're awake," Sai exclaimed rushing over to her friend. "How are you feeling?"

"Eh. As well as can be expected," Kanthra replied.

"The Shadow Realm isn't a pleasant place," Ryou remarked.

"That's for sure," Kanthra agreed.

Well, that's strange, Bakura commented slightly amused. I've always been rather partial toward the Shadow Realm. He laughed to himself. Kanthra tried to keep from smiling. It was going to be very strange having a psychopath in her mind, Kanthra could tell already.

At least there will never be a dull moment, she thought.

So glad you think so, Bakura thought. He laughed, knowing Kanthra was disturbed at the fact that her every thought could be heard. I suppose I'll leave you alone for now. Bakura returned to Ryou's mind where he usually was. Kanthra sighed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Anay asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Kanthra answered.

A/N: I shall leave you there. Please R&R to let me know what you think. Sayonara!


	4. Duel 4: The Horrors of Recollections

A/N: well, dear readers, I have returned. I would like to again thank my sole reviewer ChildlikeEmpress. Everybody who reads this story should fly over and give her a review as well. She deserves it! But don't flame her, or else….

I realize I haven't done a disclaimer yet. Well, don't sue me cuz it's not worth it. I own nothing of value. :P so there!

This site doesn't like some of the symbols I tried to use so I've made up a new set of symbols to represent different things.

((Yami-hikari and hikari-yami, if there is difference between the two))

_thoughts_

"Speaking, well duh."

Kanthra walked into her first period class at Domino High. Despite the fact that on all other occasions she would have despised this day, she was actually glad to be back from the hospital; back where things would be ever so slightly normal….

((Hello, hikari,)) a familiar voice sounded in the back of Kanthra's head. ((So good to see you back on your feet.)) There was a cold, grating sound of Bakura's laughter.

((Hello, Bakura,)) Kanthra replied tiredly. ((Are you gonna be in my head today?))

((No.))

((Good.)) Kanthra closed the link rather easily.

_Well, she catches on quick. I'll have to find a way to keep that link open until **I** want it closed,_ the spirit mused.

The school day moved in its monotonous way until history class. "Turn to page 67, class," Mr. Edo intoned in his annoying nasal voice.

"Oh let's all be good little automaton droids," Sai exclaimed randomly. Mr. Edo shot her an angry glare. "Oops." Sai sank down into her chair. Kanthra snickered to herself. She glanced across the room to see Ryou laughing silently to himself at Sai's antics.

_Is that really Ryou or is Bakura the one laughing?_ Kanthra wondered.

((That would be Ryou,)) Bakura answered. ((He's more twisted than you might have thought.))

Kanthra sighed mentally and tried to focus on her history work. It was dull and boring. She knew more about Ancient Egypt than they would ever teach. As a child she had been infatuated with ancient cultures. Her favorites were Egypt and the natives of South America such as the Incas and Mayan.

Finally, school let out. "Hey, Ryou," Kanthra greeted the albino as she ran to catch up with him.

"Oh. Hello, Kanthra." Ryou smiled.

"Sai, Anay, and I were going to head over to the ice cream parlor and I was wondering if you wanted to come," Kanthra offered.

Ryou's face fell. "Umm… No thank you, Kanthra. I don't really feel up to it."

"Why not? Are you allergic to ice cream or something?" Kanthra inquired.

"No. It's just," Ryou prepared himself to tell Kanthra exactly what he had told Yugi and his friends when they had wanted to play Monster World at his house. "Kanthra, I had to transfer to Domino High because, at my old school, my friends kept getting hurt. We would all just be playing a game and then, they would all wind up in commas. I now know it was because of the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. He already hurt you once. I don't want that to happen again. Just stay away from me, for your own good." Ryou started running away.

Kanthra watched him go, almost glaring. For some reason it just annoyed her that he wouldn't come with her. _Why doesn't he just confide in somebody? I know how he feels. It's not like he's the only one who lost something and had to move on without ever truly finding a replacement for it. The replacements I have for my family aren't the same as my family, but I still press on. Ryou needs to learn to do the same!_ Kanthra stormed off toward the ice cream parlor. Above her dark clouds gathered. ((Bakura!)) Kanthra screamed through her link.

((Don't yell! I can hear you! What do you want?)) came Bakura's perturbed reply.

((I have a favor to ask,)) Kanthra stated.

((How amusing. A slave asking her master for a favor.)) Bakura smirked. Then he felt the flood of Kanthra's rage. ((What the hell is the matter, vassal? Just because Ryou declined your offer because of me doesn't mean you should expect **me** to do something about it.))

((Well, I **do** expect you to do something about it, yami!))

((Ryou Bakura doesn't trust anyone, not even himself. Just because you have a certain infatuation for him, hikari….)) He was cut off as the link was slammed shut. _Damn. She'll pay for that,_ Bakura thought, slightly worried that he was losing his grip on his hikari. After all, if she had the audacity to talk back, what could Ryou do? Extremely grudgingly, Bakura ordered Ryou to go to the ice cream parlor to meet Kanthra. If she could close the link as ably as she did, the only way to get any message across would be to talk to her in person. _She's more powerful than I thought_, Bakura admitted to himself. _But she'll pay. Oh, how she'll pay_. A sadistic grin spread across his face.

Ryou's POV. It's not in 1st person, but its content comes from what Ryou knows and believes to be true. You'll figure it out. I trust that you are all intelligent.

Ryou trudged wearily toward the ice cream parlor. Why did his yami have to be so cruel? He held back the tears that were forming in his eyes, for his were the footsteps of doom for the three girls.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryou spotted Malik leaning up against an alley wall. The dark Egyptian boy glared at him. Bakura took over control of Ryou's body and glared back. Things had not been well between the two of them since Battle City. Bakura still wanted the Millennium Rod and was very angry with Malik for banishing him to the Shadow Realm. Ryou could just picture the look on his yami's face. It was a look that stated the solemn promise that Bakura would kill Malik by any means in the end.

The Spirit of the Ring let Ryou back in control rather unexpectedly and Ryou nearly tripped over his own feet. He had expected his yami to go over and tear Malik to pieces. What had stopped him? Then, Ryou looked up to seen Kanthra sitting with her friends outside of the ice cream parlor. _Clearly he's more interested in her soul than he is in Malik's._

((Of course,)) came Bakura's smug reply. ((I have all the time in the world to kill Malik, but who knows when Kanthra's parents will leave town?))

Normal POV (Basically including Bakura's and Kanthra's thoughts on situations)

_My parents **won't** be leaving town, baka,_ Kanthra thought, somehow listening in on Bakura's words to Ryou. _How could they? After all, they're **dead**._

Bakura felt Kanthra's bitterness wash over him. He was rapidly becoming worried that she was posing a threat and he should get rid of her as soon as possible. This feeling was augmented when the bitterness and anger completely vanished behind a mask as Kanthra greeted his other hikari. How could she hide her rage even from him? He, as her yami, should have known her every thought and have been able to predict her every mood, but he couldn't.

"What kind of ice cream are you gonna have, Ryou?" Kanthra asked. "It's a good thing you got here when you did. We were just about to order." She smiled. In his soul room, Bakura shuddered. Then he heard a subtle, mocking laugh. He spun around. There, in his own mind, stood Kanthra. Miraculously, she had managed to trespass on his very mind. ((How the hell did you get in here?)) Bakura snarled.

((You keep your defenses down because you think no one can get in here. You practically invited me here,)) Kanthra answered.

Bakura glanced through Ryou's eyes to see that he was still having a conversation with Kanthra in the real world. ((Tell me what is going on, vassal,)) Bakura ordered, turning back around. Kanthra held up her right hand to show her "master" a strange silver ring she was wearing.

((I am not Kanthra,)) the figure stated blatantly. ((I am the Spirit of the Centennial Ring. We will meet again soon, Touzokuo Bakura.)) With that, the woman was gone. Bakura shook his head rigorously, trying to perhaps wake up from a nightmare, and that is just what happened.

Bakura woke up in his soul room to find that it was all a dream. _Weird._ He looked out of Ryou's eyes to see Malik, leaning up against an alley wall and immediately took over Ryou's body to glare at him. Then, he sawthe icecream parlorand gave control back to Ryou, laughing as his hikari almost tripped over his own feet.

_Clearly he's more interested in her soul than he is in Malik's, _Bakura heard his hikari think.

((Of course,)) Bakura smugly replied. ((I have all the time in the world to kill Malik, but who knows when Kanthra's parents will leave town?))

Ryou walked into the ice cream parlor. Sai looked up from the table, her orange eyes rested on Ryou. "Hey!" she exclaimed. "Over here, Ryou!"

Anay and Kanthra looked as well. "Come and sit with us," Anay said. Kanthra just watched him. Ryou shuffled over with his head down, clearly embarrassed. He slid into the booth next to Kanthra, as it was the only seat left.

"Don't feel bad about your yami," Kanthra whispered into Ryou's ear. "I'm alive, right? That's what matters."

Bakura took over and gave her a look of contempt. Sai and Anay were too busy looking at the choices of ice cream to notice. ((You will greatly regret every time that you have ever talked back to me,)) Bakura threatened.

((Blah, blah, blah,)) Kanthra mocked. ((You don't scare me.)) She smirked.

_That's a new face for her_, Bakura thought.

((Get used to it. I'll be mocking you a lot,)) Kanthra remarked. Bakura cursed, realizing he would have to remember to block her out if he ever wanted to keep his thoughts to himself. He tried to see what she was thinking.

_Chocolate or vanilla?_ was all that came to him.

Bakura growled. _Damn her for knowing how to block me out of her mind._ It was terribly tempting to just banish her to the Shadow Realm, but what would that accomplish? It was exactly what she wanted. From the moment he had Ryou walk into the ice cream parlor, Kanthra had been calling the shots. She was in control of the situation and that Bakura did not like.

"What will you be having today?" a kind waitress asked.

"Mocha almond fudge, please," Sai answered.

"I'd like strawberry, please," Anay replied.

((Pistachio!)) Ryou declaimed in the back of Bakura's mind.

"Double fudge," the Ring spirit answered, contrary to his host's wishes.

"Just plain vanilla for me," Kanthra said.

"Why do you always get vanilla?" Sai asked after the waitress had gone. "Why don't you try something new for a change?"

"I like vanilla," Kanthra said plainly.

_Mask, mask. It's all a mask,_ Bakura thought, trying to decipher his extra hikari's emotions. She was doing a superb job of blocking him out.

The ice creams arrived. Everyone began devouring them when a shrill voice, seemingly emanating from Bakura's ice cream spoke up, "I AM THE TERROR THAT HIDES IN ALL FLAVORS OF ICE CREAM EXCEPT FOR THE DREADED VANILLA!!!!!!!"

Bakura's eyes went wide. "What in all the levels of hell?" By now, Kanthra was laughing uncontrollably and her laughter only increased in volume as a strange being leapt from Bakura's bowl of ice cream. The tomb robber was sufficiently splattered in the sticky, cold frozen dessert.

Kanthra's thoughts suddenly came to her "master" in a rush. _That was hilarious!!! That phooka is the best thing in the universe!!! Oh, Kami, he looks so funny with that ice cream all over him!!!!!!_ She doubled over laughing. Bakura promptly shoved her face into the vanilla ice cream in front of her. Kanthra pulled her face out of the bowl and laughed even harder at the situation at hand. Sai and Anay were laughing as well. In fact, Bakura found himself to be the only one not laughing at the prank as he heard Ryou's subtle chuckle in the back of his mind and the twisted, high-pitched maniacal laughter of the phooka as it floated around and ghosted through his head.

"Nothing in here," the phooka stated, floating through Bakura's head again.

"Be gone, pest!" Bakura commanded, attempting to banish the phooka to the Shadow Realm. The beam from his Millennium Ring missed its mark.

"Oh look," the phooka remarked. "You banished the fly on the wall instead." Bakura lashed out at the peculiar pestilence, only to miss again. The thief felt something pulling on the tuffs of his hair that caused some people to call him Bunny Bakura. "Hello, Rabid Rabbit," the phooka greeted as Bakura glared ferociously at him.

"I banish you to Anubis!"

This time, the beam from the Millennium Ring hit the miniscule manifestation of maliciousness. Still, the phooka got the last word. "I have not been defeated," it declaimed. "I will return to haunt you! Mweeheeheeheeheehee!"

After some time, Kanthra regained control of herself. Sai and Anay's laughter went on for a while longer. "I'd like to speak with you alone, Kanthra," Bakura stated in a foreboding tone. Kanthra nodded and somberly followed Bakura outside.

The two walked for quite a while in silence. The day, which seemed to be changing with Kanthra's mood, went from sunny to dark and gloomy in a matter of minutes. Bakura led Kanthra to the graveyard. Bakura sat on a headstone and indicated that Kanthra should do the same. She did. Bakura just glared at her for a moment. He had long since wiped the ice cream from his face.

Finally, the tomb robber spoke. ((Do you think you can play me like a card and get me to do whatever you want?)) Bakura's voice was dangerously quiet.

((Aside from the fact that it seems to be working so far, no. I suppose I don't think I can manipulate you,)) Kanthra replied defiantly.

((You are in need of a lesson in **manners**!- my little hikari.)) Behind Bakura's eyes, Kanthra could see the dancing, purple flames of the Shadow Realm. Bakura was seething with rage. Kanthra could feel the suffocating weight of his anger as it pounded against her like waves upon a bluff.

((I'm waiting for my lesson,)) Kanthra remarked to break the silence.

((You will regret your words.)) The Shadow Realm engulfed the graveyard and its two living occupants. "Rise from the grave, my servants," Bakura whispered. The ground began to shake as corpses turned in the earth and rose to the surface to obey their master. They clung to Kanthra and began to pull her down into the earth, but the girl did not scream. She thought of the fire at her uncle's office building and thought how much more horrible that was than this. She just closed her eyes. She heard the people's screams. This was nothing compared to that. Kanthra opened her eyes to stare at Bakura, knowing he had heard her thoughts.

((So you've been conditioned, I see,)) he observed. Kanthra was tempted to make a sarcastic comment, but held it back. ((I'll just have to try a little harder.))

_He's not trying at all,_ Kanthra thought.

"I heard that."

"I knooooow," Kanthra replied, rather disrespectfully. Bakura's eyes changed from brown to red.

"Crush her," he ordered the zombies. Kanthra winced as some great snake coiled around her and began to squeeze the life out of her. Immediately, she forced herself to think of swimming away from the wreckage of the cruise ship that she and her aunt and cousins had been on. She thought of the ice-cold water and of having to focus on each stroke of her arms to paddle through that potion of death. She thought of how her chest had ached with cold and how she had nearly passed out, and the snake was nothing.

Bakura stared at Kanthra and began to understand just why she was like she was. She had led a tough life. She had lost many family members that were close to her in just one accident. But that was nothing compared to what had happened to Kuruelna, his village in Ancient Egypt. There, his entire family had been brutally slaughtered and he was the lone survivor. The tomb robber searched for some other way to make Kanthra suffer.

Kanthra looked up to see stalactites falling towards her. They landed around her at first and she guessed the rock ceiling above her would slowly cave in until she was crushed. She felt an unbidden tear roll down her cheek. Then, she took a deep breath, determined not to be broken by Bakura's torture. This next memory would be the hardest to bear. The snake squeezed a bit harder and the zombies attempted to be more frightening. Kanthra closed her eyes.

Flashback

Kanthra struggled with here seatbelt and her parents and sister struggled with theirs. Kanthra, managed to free herself and tried desperately to help her family. "Get out of here, Kanthra," her father and mother said in unison. "Just forget about us."

Kanthra quickly moved to help her sister. "No, Kanthra. We're not gonna be able to get out," her sister Jitru stated. Sadness and love shown in her dark eyes as it did in her parents'. "Imooto, get out of here. You should save yourself!"

The limo continued to spin out of control. The driver struggled desperately to stop the vehicle. "I'm not going to leave you!" Kanthra protested.

"Yes, you are," Jitru answered back. She pushed her door open and threw Kanthra out of the car. Kanthra bumped along the pavement. Though she was gravely battered and bruised, she still watched the limo as it spun. The last thing she saw was Jitru's caring expression just before the limo careened over the edge of the bridge.

"ANE!!!!!!!" Kanthra screamed in anguish. "Otoosan! Okaasan…" Her vision blurred. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she slowly faded from consciousness. All she could think about was how horribly and suddenly she had lost her entire family. "Uchi no kazoku…." The next thing Kanthra remembered was waking up in a hospital room; all alone in the wide world.

From then on she had taken care of herself. Kanthra still had her family fortune and she was the sole, living beneficiary of each of her family members' wills. It seemed that these events and deaths had been planned as a way for Kanthra to become insanely rich. These events were nothing of the sort.

Kanthra began living in different parts of the world for many years. At last, she began traveling with her friends. Since she was still a minor, someone else handled her money for her. Still, she had designated that much of it be given to charity. She had a terrible guilt complex that somehow she had been the cause of her family's demise. Kanthra didn't want money. She just wanted to make up for what she thought she had done. Most of her money was now being put to use helping orphans like herself.

End Flashback

The rocks began to fall closer and closer to Kanthra. Finally, the last boulder began its decent as the memories of Kanthra's past faded. The doomed girl watched the rock fall and then bowed her head, resigned to her fate. Then the rock shattered. Her head shot up and she saw Bakura standing above her with the Millennium Ring still glowing from his previous action of shattering the boulder. The zombies retreated and the snake released its prey. Bakura held out his hand to help Kanthra out of the pit. Kanthra took hold of his hand and felt herself being pulled back to the realm of the living.

The high school girl opened her eyes to find herself back in the cemetery in Domino. She stared into Bakura's chocolate eyes; the flames had long since vanished. Instead, there was a certain hint of pity and…were those…tears? "Thank you," Kanthra murmured, barely audible. Bakura just nodded and allowed Ryou back in control. The albino blushed, realizing he was holding Kanthra's hand.

Ryou let go of her hand and stared into her dark eyes. "Did he hurt you?" Concern flowed in his words.

"Only a little," Kanthra replied. Ryou's face fell.

"I warned you," was all he could say.

"I know," Kanthra answered, looking into her friend's eyes with great, unspoken determination.

Lacking words to accurately express his relief, Ryou just pulled Kanthra into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe," he whispered.

"I'm glad too," Kanthra whispered back. She felt guilty about not telling Ryou about the fact that she was also Bakura's hikari. She pulled away from Ryou. Ryou looked immensely shamefaced.

"I should have kept him back. I shouldn't have come to meet you like he said. I should have… I should have kept you safe!" Ryou kicked the ground in rage. "He got to all my other friends because I was too weak to protect them. And now I was too weak to protect you." He was shaking.

"Ryou…."

"But I won't be weak again. I won't let him get to anyone else. I'll keep Sai and Anay safe. I'll keep Yugi and his friends safe." _The only person I won't be able to keep safe is myself…_

((Bakura, let me tell him that you own me as well!)) Kanthra begged.

((Very well. If it really makes you happy,)) Bakura replied, a bit more subdued than usual.

"Ryou," Kanthra said. Ryou looked up at her. "I need to tell you something." Ryou nodded for her to continue. "You said you would keep Sai and Anay and Yugi and his friends safe."

"And I mean it."

"Yes. I know." A look of great concern washed over Kanthra's features. "And I know what you **thought** after that as well." Ryou gave her a questioning, almost fearful look. "You said the only person you couldn't keep safe was yourself." Ryou gasped softly in fear and apprehension, realizing that Kanthra had heard his thoughts.

"What's going on?" Ryou nearly shouted.

"No matter how hard you try to keep him from taking **you** over, there's always a chance that he will take **me** over," Kanthra said. Ryou fixed her with a cold stare. She looked back at him with emotionless eyes. "I'm his hikari too, Ryou. That was our agreement. I would have died in the Shadow Realm just now if he hadn't…"

"Enough!" Ryou shouted. He pushed Kanthra away. "I don't want to ever be near you again! If you have allied yourself with him then you too are my enemy…" Tears streamed down his cheeks. His eyes betrayed his feelings of fear and betrayal but his voice only told of anger. He dashed away.

"Ryou!!!!!" Kanthra made a move to chase after him then stopped. She wanted to sink to her knees and cry her eyes out, but she decided to stand strong. Kanthra replaced her revealing expression with her normal emotionless façade. She slowly walked home, with her guilt complex growing larger every second.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

A/N: Well, that was chapter four. Was it too angsty? Overly dramatic? Please tell, me. I think I got kind of carried away. What did you think of the phooka? Please share your opinions with me, whether they are good, bad, or just plain passive opinions. I'd like to know. Thanks a bunch to ChildlikeEmpress. She's my only reviewer for this story. Thanks a ton!!!!!! You're the best! bye for now!

Key: Imooto - little sister, Ane- older sister, otoosan- father, okaasan- mother, uchi no kazoku- my family


	5. Duel 5: Suicide? Oh no you don't!

A/N: Hi! I'm back! Though I doubt anyone missed me... T.T On wit da story!

Btw. The rating might go up 'cause of dis here chappie, but I'm not sure yet. To my knowledge Amane, Ryou's sister, is dead so forgive me if I'm wrong.

Oh yeah, the disclaimer...

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh. The characters Kanthra, Sai, and Anay and the Centennial Items and all that they imply are mine:- P

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(Ryou's POV)

The white-haired, pale-skinned teenager stalked home in a rage. For once in his life he had thought to trust someone and Kanthra had gone and betrayed him. Of course, the high school student knew he was really the one to blame. If he had just fought harder that first day he saw Kanthra, she wouldn't have fallen prey to the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, but after all the pain he'd gone through at the hands of his yami, he wasn't exactly looking forward to the consequences of resisting.

_Dammit!_ Ryou fumed in his mind as he jammed his key into the lock of his apartment. _Why the hell did she have to go and do something like that? What the hell... Everything's so screwed up anyway it doesn't really matter._ Ryou Bakura slammed his front door and didn't even bother to take off his outside shoes as he stormed into the kitchen. His hand found its way to the handle of a knife that lay by the sink that was tainted red from his yami's prior outbursts. _If he can do this, so can I,_ Ryou thought as he rolled up his sleeves to expose the pale flesh of his arms. He sat down on the light green couch and winced slightly as he made the first cut in his arm. Then the motions came more easily and the blood followed.

(Normal POV)

Bakura woke up with a start in his non-descript soul room. What the fuck was his hikari doing? He peered through Ryou's eyes to see the red liquid flowing in morbid streams down his host's arms. ((What are you doing? Cut it out!)) he ordered, but his hikari paid him no heed. The irony of the statement was somewhat amusing, but Bakura was in no mood to laugh. The spirit tried to force Ryou back into his soul room, but the boy resisted. Sure, Bakura had done a similar thing in the past, but never with the intent of death. By now Ryou's flesh looked more like a checkerboard than it should. ((Stop it! You'll kill yourself!))

((Naw, ya' think?)) came the venomous reply.

((Yadonushi, stop.)) Bakura tried again to wrest control away from his hikari, but Ryou's will was set. There was just one thing, well two things... One was to let Ryou do as he pleased, but Bakura didn't like that option very much. By the time Ryou was too weak to keep control; his body would be too far gone to be worth saving. So Bakura deduced that he had but one option; get help, which was what the tomb robber hated most. He sighed and calmed himself down. ((Kanthra.))

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The brown-haired girl sat by herself on a park bench staring up at the sakura trees that had found themselves in early bloom. They were beautiful but fleeting. Kanthra effortlessly likened them to the happy times in her life. She sighed, feeling all alone. Then the cold voice of Bakura pierced her mind. ((Kanthra.))

((Yes?)) she responded respectfully. She expected a condescending or victorious scoff from the spirit but got none.

His voice actually sounded weak as he spoke, ((Ryou's trying to kill himself...))

((What! Where are you?))

((Apartment 801 on... Oh, what's the damn street called? Just give me control. I know the way,)) Bakura ordered. Kanthra felt an odd sensation as she was pushed, more like flung, back into her soul room. She looked around to see a fog concealed most of the things in her room. Dust rested on the things that she could see such as pictures of her family. The Millennium Eye that Bakura had placed on her forehead as a symbol of their pact gazed dispassionately down at her. Kanthra was faintly aware of movement. A television set in front of her turned on and she saw the world through her own eyes again, only she knew Bakura was in control of her body. She almost laughed, for she could almost taste his discomfort. It was obvious to her why her master wanted Ryou to live. Bakura certainly wouldn't want to reside with her as his only host.

Bakura climbed the steps faster than Kanthra thought possible. He tried the door, but it was locked. In a bout of consideration, Bakura gave control back to Kanthra. ((What?)) The girl was slightly dazed.

((I don't want to break your leg so I want you to break the door down so it's your fault if something goes wrong.))

_Scratch the consideration_, Kanthra thought. She was amazingly tired and winded, but obeyed nonetheless. She took a step back and performed a not quite perfect round house kick. It worked well enough. The door crashed inwards and Kanthra saw, to her horror, Ryou crumpled on the couch. He'd passed out from lack of blood.

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(Ryou's POV several minutes before Kanthra arrived)

The albino watched as his life stream flowed willingly down his arms, dying the sofa an indescribable color. Every cell in his body had longed for this moment; a moment of absolute freedom. He had few regrets. His friends would be better off now that the Spirit of the Millennium Ring would no longer have a familiar face as a host. He regretted leaving his father behind, but with any luck the ceiling at an excavation site would collapse and his father would soon join Ryou and his sister Amane in the after life.

Ryou felt his life slipping away. The sound of feet pounding up the stairs hovered in his ears. _They'll be too late,_ he promised himself. The beige walls of his small apartment began to spin around him. Visions from his childhood assailed him, and his life began toflash before his mind's eye.

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(Normal POV back where we left off)

((Do something,)) Bakura shouted.

((I can hear you just fine. You don't have to scream,)) Kanthra said calmly. She moved quickly and precisely, snatching the portable telephone on her way to the bathroom. She punched in the number for emergency services and held the phone to her ear with her shoulder and she began to tear a towel into strips for bandages. "If you dare die, Ryou, I hope you rot in hell," she muttered, bubbling with anger at the albino.

"Moshi, moshi?" the receptionist at the emergency services spoke.

"This guy cut his wrists! We need an ambulance right away!"

"Yes, and where are you calling from?"

"What kind of heartless question is that? I don't know! Just track the damn call!" Kanthra set the phone roughly on the table with the line open so the emergency services could trace it. She knew her yami was shocked but, she could have cared less. The minute rise and fall of Ryou's chest ceased. "Breathe, dammit!" Kanthra slapped the unconscious Ryou across the face. She put two fingers to his neck to check his pulse. "Damn, making me do fucking CPR... You're gonna pay..." Kanthra moved Ryou on to his back and tried to revive him, reluctantly employing the tactic of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. His vital processes started up again. Kanthra sighed in relief.

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A few minutes later the emergency services arrived. Kanthra followed them as they promptly carried Ryou to the ambulance. "Kami-sama, he's lost a lot of blood," one paramedic swore. "We'll need an immediate transfusion. Do you know his blood type?" the man asked Kanthra.

((A Positive,)) Bakura readily supplied.

"A Positive," Kanthra answered, then in amazement stated, "Same type as me."

The paramedic raised an eyebrow. "Can you give blood," he asked.

"Yes," Kanthra replied without hesitation. She quickly rolled up her sleeve. In a few moments Kanthra's blood was flowing sluggishly through Ryou's veins, and the ambulance rushed towards the hospital.

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The paramedics transported Ryou to the emergency room. Kanthra sat nervously in the lobby and waited. _Please don't die... It's bad enough loosing all my blood relations._ The corners of Kanthra's mouth twitched into a small smile. _Of course, now you kinda are my blood relation, aren't you, Ryou Bakura?_ In her back of her troubled mind her yami cracked a smile as well.

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A few hours later a man clad in scrubs with a clipboard in his hand walked up to Kanthra, who was still feeling faint from giving blood. "Yau Kanthra?" he inquired. Upon seeing the man, she stood and fixed him with a look that let him know he was not to beat around the bush. The man blinked and fidgeted under her gaze but continued, "The boy you called in about..."

"What?" Kanthra snapped.

"We're not quite sure if he'll make it through the night. By all the standards we hold to be true he really should be dead."

Kanthra sighed in relief. "Well, at least he's not," she spoke.

"Did you use CPR?"

"...Yes. Was I not supposed to?"

"No, you probably saved his life."

"Ah. Good." _What a cliché... _Kanthra thought. "May I see him?"

"Well, yes. I actually came to ask if you could give more blood. All our donors are out of town at the moment."

"Of course I can," Kanthra answered quickly. _So typical..._ The man led Kanthra quickly down the hallways and to the ER.

"Another pint of blood and he should be okay," a nurse standing by several machines that monitored Ryou's vital processes stated. "He might even last through the night."

"What's all this might business?" Kanthra retorted.

"Well-," the nurse began.

"He **will** make it through the night. There is no **might** in this situation. Understood?" Kanthra continued. The hospital staff present was taken aback. Kanthra figured that they would be used to this by now, but they clearly weren't. She rolled her eyes. "Whatever..." She lay down on the bed as instructed and a needle, like a giant mosquito, was stuck into her arm in the same place as before.

"You'll feel rather weak after this," the nurse cautioned.

"Not as weak as **he'll** feel if he doesn't get blood," Kanthra muttered as some more of the red liquid flowed from her body to Ryou.

((You can stop being so defensive now, Kanthra,)) the Ring spirit, how had remained silent for quite a while, spoke at last.

((Yeah, but if somebody doesn't rush them I'm worried they won't move fast enough...)) Kanthra admitted. ((I couldn't save the others, yami. I was never given a chance. I'm not going to hesitate.))

((No, but you'll collapse from blood loss,)) Bakura jested, snickering quietly to himself. Kanthra outwardly kept her composure, but on the inside, where only Bakura could see, she was smiling.

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A/N: Okay, so there wasn't nearly enough comic relief in that chapter, but I'll try harder next time. Sorry to all those people who hate Ryou and want him to die, you will have no such luck here. He has to stay alive. I know that Ryou is his last name, but to avoid confusion I'm just gonna refer to him as that until I can start using Touzokuo as Bakura's name. Bye now.

REVIEW OR THE PHOOKA WILL COME AFTER YOU! Gee, that's a lame threat...


	6. Duel 6: All I Have

A/N: Hello, all! So it's been a ridiculous amount of time since I've updated. Looks to be about five years and three-ish months. (July 2, 2005 – October 1, 2010). Wowza! So the only reason that I'm actually updating this story again is a sweet review from xxpinkblinkxx. So a huuuuuuge thank you to Pink-chan for bothering to review even though it'd been dead for so long. This chapter is absotively posolutely for you. :)

Also, I'd like to add that because it's been so very long my writing style has changed/(d)evolved – your call – and that will definitely be reflected in my writing. It's still the same old Nobody, though, so don't worry. :)

Disclaimer: I own no facets or aspects of Yu-Gi-Oh! However, the original characters and characteristics of this story (Kanthra, etc.) are irrefutably mine and partly contributed to by a friend of mine (dbox) from when this story started out. The phooka, which probably won't appear again unless brought back by popular demand, belongs solely to dbox. Thank you.

-NWTC (Nobody Writes This Crap)

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_Similarities Over the Water_  
Chapter 6: All I Have

Noisy. That's all he could think of amidst the dark haze of non-light. Beeps, hisses, and clinks invaded his consciousness with more persistence than any possessive spirit ever had. But what was this place? Certainly not the Shadow Realm, was all he could think. He'd been there enough to know that place was a symphony of silent screams, and, yes, such things existed. But this was not nonexistence either, nor was it any version of Heaven or Hell or Afterlife that he'd ever heard of. So, then, was it possible that he wasn't dead? Had he actually, sincerely failed the one thing he was so certain he could succeed at?

He knew, then, that he could open his eyes; that they were still his – still attached to him. And with the same resigned misery with which he did so many things, he let the real light in. But it wasn't truly real light, was it? No, he told himself, this was an artificial, man-made, man-controlled light. This was a hospital. Ryou squinted against the bombarding faux photons of the buzzing fluorescent bulbs above him. His body felt heavy, as though encased in cement, and his mouth was dry and bitter.

For a very long time, because time always passed slowly when he was in pain, the white-blond boy lay in the stillness of that sterile room. He could remember almost everything, right until he'd passed out hoping the footsteps he'd heard weren't coming for him. Apparently they had been. The prickling sensation in his eyes that he'd come to associate with sadness became tinted with rage. He knew who was to blame for this failure; for once it wasn't his fault. It was Kanthra. The name played out sluggishly before him, one syllable at a time. There was a facet of the Japanese about it, he supposed, though he would've been inclined to write it as a foreign word – scrawl it in the sharp, angular cuts of katakana that denoted "the Other". Who was she to intrude on his life like this? She had chosen the plague of the Spirit of the Ring and couldn't possibly understand what it was like to be held captive as completely as Ryou was. He was never alone, and, even now, he could feel Bakura slowly rousing himself from whatever state of inactivity he'd been in and coming to invade his consciousness again. He felt his right hand move, though he knew he wasn't moving it. He'd grown accustomed, by now, to the subtle ways in which Bakura controlled him when he thought he was being sneaky. Ryou didn't have the energy to resist; the Spirit never truly felt his pain. Idly, he wondered how the Millennium Ring had found its way back around his neck; he always expected it to happen, but it never ceased to be at least faintly impressive.

In any event, he watched his hand move, like an infant first discovering that its digits were attached because it controlled them, but, obviously, in a sort of perversion of that stereotype because he wasn't controlling them. Still, this felt just as normal to the young man. He was surprised, however, when the hand did not move to hurt him but rather to press the nurse call button that rested on the bed. What would that accomplish? He was too tired to do anything but lie here; there was something beyond the blood loss draining his will, and he supposed that was just the effect of realizing all he ever hoped to do was futile.

A nurse arrived after not very long at all, her dark hair pulled back into a bun and her pink scrubs seeming a little too cheery for the moment. But Ryou hadn't really picked to start this whole charade up like this, had he? He hadn't pushed that button. He wanted to just lie here until he fell back asleep and was left alone with the blankness of his mind that he would always try to reclaim no matter how the Spirit tried to take it from him. "How are you feeling?" the nurse asked him, her tennis shoes squeaking faintly on the tile floor as she moved to check his vitals and his chart.

"Like I should be dead," he rasped out. He saw the nurse smile, and did his best to return the gesture, though it was void of feeling. He was good at that by now, though, faking it for the sake of everyone else. They shouldn't have to suffer, even if he did.

"Well, you look like you're in pretty good shape. You owe it all to that friend of yours; she's in the waiting room. I'll send her in?"

"Yes, all right." _What more damage could she do, after all?_ he thought to himself, resting his head against the pillow for a moment. "Could I have some water first?"

The nurse stopped on her way out the door, coming back into the room. "Absolutely," she said as she made her way to a water pitcher and poured him a cup. Tenderly, she helped him sit up and hold the cup, though his head swam faintly in the dizzy haze of not-quite-aliveness that he'd ended up in. He was grateful for the water, though, and knew that, in time, he'd be almost back to normal, maybe.

The nurse left him with his water, and he let his gaze settle on the dull blue blanket that covered his legs as he sat. ((You're there, aren't you, boku no yami*?)) he spoke into the utter silence of his mind.

((Yes. And you're an idiot, yadonushi**.))

((You can't call bravery idiocy. Even if Kanthra's too weak-willed to face her own suffering and prefers to let others suffer instead, that doesn't mean I have to do the same.)) He took another sip of water, forcing his body to move despite the fact that it didn't want to. The Spirit was going to make him move around anyway; he might as well get used to the idea.

((I think you underestimate Kanthra...))

((If you like her so much, why don't you just stay in her mind and leave me alone!))

((Yadonushi!))

((What? If you're so infatuated - ))

((Ryou!)) The Spirit never called him that. There was a pause of several moments before the Spirit of the Ring spoke again, ((Don't do that ever again.)) What was he saying when he said that, aside from the obvious command that he shouldn't commit suicide? Did he care beyond simply losing a body? He couldn't, could he? Was that possible?

"Ryou." He was startled from his thoughts, almost jumping out of his skin as he turned to look toward where this real world sound had come from.

"...Kanthra."

"You're awake. I'm so glad."

"Stay away from me. You have no idea the fate you've condemned me to!" The prickling returned, sending angry, hot tears down his pale cheeks as he turned his face away from Kanthra and watched the far wall as it grew blurry as things always did when viewed through that prickling.

Kanthra was taken aback, though, in a way, she understood. Ryou had done this to try to keep them all safe, hadn't he? He wanted to do away with his yami and free them all from that slowly approaching doom of the Shadow Realm. "Ryou..." She moved to sit on the edge of the bed, watching as the young man tried to edge away from her. She put her hand on his arm, gently, and he stopped. She could tell he was crying now from the way his chest shook faintly and how he kept his face turned away. "You're not the problem, Ryou. You dying isn't going to fix this. You know that."

"In a way I'm already dead," he insisted.

"Don't say that! You know damn well you have plenty to live for!"

"Like what?" His head whipped back around. "That bastard controls my every move! There's nothing I can do about that! Do you think _I_ was the one who pressed the nurse call button?"

"Well, y-"

"Exactly! You would think that, wouldn't you? Because you don't know what it's like to live with that kind of monster in your head. And he doesn't just press buttons. He takes things, as I'm sure you've noticed, like souls," he continued caustically. "You're just not clever enough to see that this is only the beginning. You've forgotten about your friends, haven't you? That's how it starts!"

Kanthra's palm stung as it connected with Ryou's pale, tear-stained cheek, and Ryou fell silent for a long moment. In that beeping, mechanical silence, he heard a far more human sound - the quiet, hiccuping breaths of disguised tears. Was Kanthra... crying? "Don't you know," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "that Sai and Anay and _you_ are all I have? Or weren't you there, somewhere in the back of his mind, when he tried to force me into obedience?" She rose, then, wiping her eyes vehemently to chase away the tears. "I'm sorry I hit you, but I'm not sorry you were alive to feel it," she remarked, her voice no longer colored with the weakness of sorrow. Ryou watched her back as she left the room, long hair always hanging in the air a little as though it was reluctant to follow her; as if she was reluctant to leave. He scooted back down under the blankets, pulling them up as high as he could on his body, though it still took a great deal of effort to move. His cheek still stung where she'd hit him, and he wondered if it might even bruise, but it made him sleepy to think about bruises, so he let his eyes close so he could maybe dream about something else.

0000  
A/N: Well, this is the end of Chapter 6. I'll be working on Ch7 shortly, I promise. I already have an outline in my mind of where I want it to go, but this seemed like a good place to stop. R&R.

Translations:  
*boku no yami: my yami  
**yadonushi: host, landlord


End file.
